brooding birds...

I am trying to raise chicks earlier than I have ever before. I kinda want to the hens to lay eggs before next year, like the ones I have raised this far, and this way I can have eggs by june or july. The geese can be out weeding the garden from the day the near start, and the ducks can be out on the table or in the freezer the same time as I would be buying them (and at an amazing discount)

Anyway... I am using a room in an old building my parents own. It will be a bird room I am planning on using to raise cage birds. The corner (about a 7 foot by 3 foor section) I am planning to use in the really cold months to brooder birds early before I can do so at my own place (maybe 2 months a year). There is no heat to the building itself, but with a space heater I have raised the temp to 70 - 80 F in the room I am using. I figured this is a fair temp and the brooder light can do the rest, so I turned it on yesterday to try it out put the themomater under it, and checked on it today, 70 F it reads. Can't figure it out till I feel the floor. The floor is pretty cold to the touch. Make since I guess when you figure the basement isn't being heated..

I have another brooding light I could use... maybe set another heater in the room?

I was thinking of throwing in some used carpet in that section, maybe a heating pad underneth... but maybe I'll have to nix the whole idea and do something diffrant.

Any ideas....

P.S. I have about 20 or so ducks to arrive any time this week and 20 or so bantams and 2 geese next week. What ever brooder arrangements need to accompany them all.

Make you an insulated floor. I put an old foam egg crate under your brooder. Or you could elevate it slightly and put a heating pad under it but I do not feel real safe with that arrangement. A space heater uses loads of electricity and just is generally not safe around chickens and the dust they put off. If possible keep in a house that is heated. The first few weeks they will definitely need more heat than that. Keep in your home for a while. Jean

Thanks, I started looking at the "BROODER thread" and may use an idea from there. I may just have to make the brooding area smaller, and not "part" of the room. I like the dog kennel idea... I'll try that out tonight and see what I can get the temp up to. I'll figure out what I can do. Thanks for your help crazyhen.